Naruto: Pride and Prejudice
by Zpan Sven
Summary: AU. When Kyuubi is sealed, things go wrong. With her life joined to the demon's will Naru remain human or embrace her demonic heritage in the face of the village's hate? fem!Naruto no pairings yet ocs UNDER REVISION
1. Prologue: The Demon's Attack

**NARUTO: PRIDE & PREJUDICE**

**AUTHOR:** Zpan Sven

**E-MAIL:** Zpan(underscore)Sven(at)hotmail(dot)com

**DISCLAIMER:** I sadly do not own Naruto. The wonderful man whose name I can not pronounce does. I do own the few random OCs that do pop up though.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This is an AU of the Naruto-verse and my first ever Naruto fanfic, so if anyone who is well versed in the Naruto-verse and would like to Beta, I'd love the help. Due to the immense feedback I've been receiving – you guys are making me blush, I really didn't think anyone would like what I've written so far! – I decided to go from these little chapters, written mostly as an experiment to the normal, longer format I typically employ. Honestly, I prefer writing chapters up to or even longer then ten pages in length and only do the little short chapters when I'm writing a completely new fandom and don't know what sort of response I'd get or have a massive case of writer's block.

I have only a few Original Characters that will pop up, mostly baddies from missing-nin, bandits, and asshole villagers. One of the more featured OCs is a 'good' character and I'll try to keep her from being a Mary Sue — which is the essence of all evil. Her main role is a teacher/big sibling/listener character to help Naruto and the others of the Konoha Twelve, and if the readers like her enough, she might get a boyfriend from one of the shinobi she interacts with.

The fic will mostly be 'General' but if the fans have some ideas for pairings, I'd love to hear them, as well as any suggestions for improving the story. As the names and appearances of Konohamaru's parents have never been revealed, I'm just going to give them names for now; if anyone else out there knows the names/appearances, please PM me, okay?

And just so you know, there's not going to be much bashing in this fic, even of my villains. And yes, Sasuke will be a villain, so please don't request any pairings of SasuNaru aside from a onesided lust on his part because I've noticed the overwhelming amount of SasuFemNaru fics already and I like doing something different -- if I even do pairings at all. There will of course be side pairings, mostly the canonical ones such as Asuma and Kurenai.

"Speech."

'_Thought.'_

_Flashback._

_**::Telepathy::**_

_.Sign Language.._

**SUMMARY:** It's the Naruto-verse with a twist. Kyuubi was much younger then believed? Naruto was born female but forced to hide her true gender for her own safety? How different would the adventure be? How powerful will the young kunoichi become under the tutelage of the Queen of all Kistune? Will Naruto sacrifice her humanity to embrace her demonic heritage for the tempting offer of a family and power beyond belief that the demon offers?

**CHAPTER SUMMARY:** Kyuubi has unleashed her wrath on the Village Hidden in the Leaves and we learn the reason why she attacked…

**TIMELINE:** Prologue occurs during Kyuubi's attack and the rest of the story follows pre-manga until a few chapters in, where it follows the manga.

**RATING:** PG-13/R

**WARNINGS:** LVS

**ARCHIVE:** Zpan Sven's Works

**EDITED:** 2008-01-02

**JAPANESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY:**

Hai – yes

Iie – no

Sensei -- teacher

Sempai – upper-classman, someone in you ranking of an older age

Onna – woman, rude form of address

Hime – Princess

Gakki – brat

Temee – bastard

Miko –preistess

Kisama – bitch/bastard

Wakizashi – a smaller version of a katana, usually the backup weapon

Bo Shuriken – dagger-like shuriken

Kunai – the knife used by ninja

_Hira_ _Shuriken_ – normal Star-shaped shuriken, ranging from three points to six or more

_Bo Shuriken_ – straight blade shuriken, similar to kunai only without hilts

Tekko – hand covers/wrist guards

Kyahan – shin guards

Tabi – split toe socks worn with the traditional sandals. Modern versions of _tabi_ have a hard rubber sole, making them into footwear on their own, generally favored by ninja.

Shinobi – another word for Ninja. Assassin.

Kunoichi – female ninja

Kistune -- fox

Hitai-ate – forehead protector wore by nin

Shinigami – God of Death

-

**PROLOGUE: THE DEMON'S ATTACK!**

-

Where the massive nine-tailed demon fox had come from or why it attacked, the Shinobi of Konohakagure did not know, but they _did_ know that if they did not stop the demon that their village, already weakened by its feinting attacks on it's once unbreached walls, would fall. It would seem an impossible thing to do, given the weakening of their resources after the Konoha-Iwa war, but they had hope in their newly elected Yondaime Hokage, the legendary Yellow Flash himself; the collective nin of Konoha knew that their leader would be able to stop the nine tailed demon fox, the legendary Kyuubi no Kistune if their information was correct.

They were correct in knowing the identity of the creature, but not _why_ she was relentlessly attacking their village. The nin did not that the towering Kistune was the newly appointed Ninth Bijuu, protector of the Ninth Divine Scroll and Queen of the Kistune. They did not know the single driving emotion she felt at that moment towards them and their village.

She did not care that they were defending themselves and their loved ones, driven by that singular emotion that consumed her whole and controlled her actions.

**Rage.** Pure, unadulterated rage, directed at every man, woman, and child within Konoha and the overwhelming need to **destroy** **them all**. Because to the Queen of Kistune, _they_ were the cause of **all** of this and they **must** _suffer_.

With a deafening roar she flicked a mighty tail, sending a wave of earth towards a small group of shinobi attempting to flank her; they were overwhelmed too swiftly to escape and were promptly buried alive, several crushed to death by the intense weight of the soil. Frantically their comrades struggled to free those mortals that were still alive from the impromptu burial mound.

Blood magic-fueled anger thrummed through her demonic veins as she destroyed all that stood before her. Insolent, _unworthy_ creatures! How **dare** they? Crouching defensively, her ears flicked to and fro, capturing the sounds of death and carnage around her. Snorting contemptuously, her keen eyes pierced through the night to glare at the spiral leaf emblem engraved on the forehead protectors of the fallen, reminding her of their identity and _why_ they **had to die**.

_**Leaf.**_

_"Serve me, Demon! I Summoned you and now I, the Yondaime Hokage, am your Master!" the man before her demanded in a haughty, hissing voice; the blood and carcass of a baby Kistune lay on the altar between them, and surrounding her was blood drawn seals to contain her._

_The candle light flickered, catching on the greenish highlights of his hair, of his snake-like golden eyes…and the spiral leaf emblem on his hitai-ate._

"_Never!"_ _She roared, lunging forward. The magical barriers placed to contain her strained and with a flick of her tails and charge of her chakra, the barriers buckled and collapsed. The man's hands flew through a long series of seals the seconds it took for her to overpower the barrier. When the barrier collapsed, the handseals completed and he hissed something she could not decipher in her rage, the blood seals glowing…_

The demoness roared again, slamming her tails into the ground, sending out massive earthquakes. Insolent, arrogant **mortals**, daring to rip the newly crowned Queen of Kistune away from her kingdom – how they would _suffer_ for this **insult**! Baring massive teeth, her crimson fur gleamed under the light of the full moon as she surveyed the damage round her, the dark magic fueling her rage slowly receding, trickling from her with the infinite slowness of grains of sand through the hourglass.

Corpses, whole and torn asunder, littered the battered landscape; the earth itself suffered from the conflict, gouged and cracked while massive trees had been uprooted and snapped into kindling, while parts of the massive forest created by the Shodai Hokage. Before her, the village of the leaf-nin stood, its tall stone walls showing signs of her attack – spaced sporadically, several sections of the wall had been smashed along with the businesses and homes on the other side; included in the damaged buildings was the hospital, part of one of the wings under renovation destroyed.

Taking a deep breath as the demoness's almost infinite store of chakra sealed and regenerated her wounds mere seconds after they had been inflicted, she knew what she _had_ to do. Crimson eyes glared at the village and resolutely she snorted, heading for it; the snake-man would _die_ for his insult, no more playing around with mere feinting attacks. This time she'd **raze** it to the ground in one final attack!

Stalking forward, her massive paws caused the earth to tremble with every step. The bellowing and screams of the shinobi below and around her was ignored; idly she flicked one of her nine tails, sending another earth wave towards several of the louder mortals. Pitiful creatures they were, really. Even though she was quite young by her kind's standards, the Kistune Queen had always been skilled in the ways of war. In the demon sense, she had been what the human shinobi would have called a prodigy, gaining tails representing her power more rapidly then others – while on average it would take a hundred years for a demon accumulate enough power and strength to gain another tail, it wasn't that uncommon to gain a tail due to a stressful situation such as fighting for the life of oneself or one's loved ones.

That reason was why, along side her duties as monarch, she had been Chosen by the Kami to act as one of the Bijuu who were the Guardians of the Divine Scrolls, making her the youngest among the demonic and divine to ever be considered for such an important task.

The sudden explosion of smoke and the overwhelming scent of toad before her announced the arrival of a newcomer to the battle. Growling, she glowered regally at Gamabunta, the Boss of Toad Summons. '_Human's pet,'_ she thought disdainfully.

Standing on Gamabuta's head was a tall, blond shinobi with a slender build, his white duster edged in a flame pattern at the bottom fluttering in the breeze; the unique duster and odd necklace he wore seem to be the only thing to separate him from the other nin he fought beside, garbed in what seemed to be the uniform of his comrades. Determined blue met the demoness's enraged crimson and the clash of wills began. Lip curling back to bare her teeth, she lunged at the man and Toad Summon. Her powerful claws clashed to a halt as the massive Toad Summon brought out his katana, blocking her attack and sending the Toad skidding back several feet; Gamabunta grunted softly, straining to keep from yielding anymore to her.

Lifting her gaze, she glared at the shinobi; he all but reeked of sheer strength and power, so much it was almost heady for her enhanced senses, higher then any of those other shinobi on the battlefield – he seemed almost equal to a lower to mid-class demon or a demon Halfling in her estimation. Her powerful muscles tensed and bunched under her fur as she and the Toad Summon leapt apart. Crouching, she prepared to attack again when the sound of thousands of chirping birds announced pain in her right hind leg.

With an enraged snarl, she flicked the irritant away with a slight movement of one of her tails, sending a young, silver haired shinobi flying into the trees. Turning her attention back to Gamabunta and his Human, the Kistune Queen saw the mortal on the Toad Summon's back had used the younger silver-haired shinobi's attack as a distraction and was finishing a long series of seals; for the first time she noticed a small basket with a carefully wrapped white bundle inside it, the faint whimpering of an infant barely audible to her enhanced sense of hearing over the din of the battlefield.

Behind the shinobi appeared the Shinigami himself, causing her fur to stand on end as the last of the magically enhanced rage to drain away in the kami's presence. She took an involuntary step backwards, her muscles tensing and heart leaping in her throat.

Panic, a rare emotion for the Kistune Queen, set in and she gracefully began to leap aside when a brilliant flash of pale blue light engulfed her as the shinobi finished his hand seals. Time itself seemed to slow and she could feel the cold hand of death gripping several of her tails; with her vocal cords temporarily froze in pain, in fear, she silently cried out to Inari and the Blessed Lady, the Divine Mother of all Kistune, as everything began to go black.

And suddenly she could scream again, even as her body seemed to disintegrate in the eyes of the astonished leaf-nin…and the Kyuubi's defeated bellow echoed throughout the battlefield and rang in the streets of the Village Hidden in the Leaves…

Time resumed its normal pace as the blond shinobi staggered, falling backwards even as he clutched the small basket in a literal death grip, his hands having frozen, locking around it to protect the child within. The Toad Summon caught the falling form with his massive tongue and gently lowered both towards the ground and into the arms of a towering shinobi with spiky white hair pulled back in a loose tail who howled with grief as he clutched both to his body.

As the Toad Boss vanished in a cloud of summon-smoke, the able shinobi and kunoichi of the leaf gathered around the grief-stricken Gama-Sannin and the body of their fallen hero…

-

-

-

It rained for a straight week after the Kyuubi no Kistune's defeat, suitable weather for the moods of those burying the ashes or entombing the remains of their loved ones. At the end of the week, it seemed the rain would not relent and the morose, somber mood of the weather was reflected in the grim faces of the assembled Council of Konoha; all members were present, from both the civilian and shinobi aspects of the village – only in rare occasions was the Council ever fully assembled and perhaps in a record breaking week, the entire council had been assembled twice in the span of six days, first to reinstate the retired Sandaime Hokage and now…to decide the fate of one tiny infant, who slept oblivious to the danger that lurked around, seeking one thing and one thing only...

"Why are we even discussing this! Kill the damn demon!" Roared the normally cheerful head of the Akimichi clan, his right arm encased in a hard cast and several bruises fading to a sickly greenish-yellow all over his plump face, contrasting with the furious red of his face; Choza had lost several of his clan in the attempt to hold the demon at bay long enough for the Yondaime to arrive and held a dislike for what he perceived to be the creature's reincarnation.

A soft whimper, delicate and helpless came from the side of the reinstated Hokage and several of the present ANBU tensed, their eyes unseen but their indignant glares felt as they were leveled at the rotund man for his raised voice in the Council Chambers.

"If it is a threat to Konoha then it must be destroyed now while it is still too weak to defend itself," agreed the head of the prestigious Uchiha clan, looking at the small bundle wrapped in a peach and blue blanket in the portable bassinet by the reinstated Hokage's chair; the sudden tensing of the several ANBU flanking the Hokage and the bassinet had him looking away swiftly so not to draw their attention any further – the odds against him were too high for him to act, even if he wanted to, not just because of the assembled ANBU but because of the three Sannin present as well. The fact the fat fool of an Akimichi had woken the creature put the assembled protectors on edge as it was, the Uchiha Clan Head noted with distain.

"No, it is a tool, a weapon we should wield against those that would attack our village!" The calm, calculating voice of a retired shinobi with a single eye and single arm named Danzo interjected; he was the head of small, elite group of ANBU called 'Root' that trained their members to be the perfect, emotionless killing machine in order to protect and serve Konoha. Anything that could be used to make Konoha stronger and more powerful was something he wanted under his control so he could return the Hidden Village to its proper place as the most powerful and most feared of all the Shinobi Continent.

The calls from many of the civilian and shinobi-trained Councilmen for the death of the infant and the newly appointed head of the Inuzuka clan gritting her fanged teeth, and the sound of her patience snapping was practically audible as she abruptly stood, slamming her palms onto the table before her, causing many to jump as she snarled in a low, feral voice. "You sayin' Minato's sacrifice don't mean shit? That his skill don't mean anything?! He was the Yondaime for a reason! His skill in Sealing has surpassed even his Sensei's own! Listen to what you're sayin', you morons. And if Sandiame-sama says that kid over there is no threat, then it isn't! End of story!"

"As skilled as he was, the Yondaime was a man, a mortal. Minato was a friend to many and he loved this village with all his being…but how can it be certain he didn't make a mistake?" The question came from the tired head of the Yamaka clan as Tsume sat back down; Inochi hadn't been sleeping well, not since the death of his father in the battle with Kyuubi and the sudden mental breakdown of his mother had forcibility thrust him into the affairs of the Council along with his closest friends and trusted comrades. All he wanted to do was to go home, to know his village and loved ones were as safe once more…

"I can examine the child's chakra pathways and the effects of the sealing technique Minato used if you wish; perhaps that along with a diagnosis from a skilled medic-nin would suffice…" suggested the silvery-eyed Clan Head of the Hyuuga; Hiashi had been on the Council for only a few years now and had yet to find the meetings in anyway enjoyable – right now he just wanted to go come and hold his pregnant wife, to reassure himself he and their unborn child were alright, just as he knew his twin was doing with his own wife and toddler son at that moment within the safety of the Hyuuga Compound.

"And how do we know you're trustworthy, that you won't lie to use the demon as your own weapon?" taunted Danzo, his eye narrowing as he glared into the silvery eyes of the head of the strongest Clan of Konoha.

"You doubt the word of the Hyuuga Clan Head?" Hiashi asked, his voice arctic and silver eyes narrowed; his hands tensed as he straightened in his chair, chakra reflexively stirring within him as he fought the urge to just kill the crippled shinobi that dared insinuate that the word of the Hyuuga Clan, one of the very founding shinobi clans of the village itself, was worthless.

"Alright, everybody calm down – I think there's been enough bloodshed," sighed the Gama-Sannin, pinching the bridge of his nose as he leaned back in his chair, resting the broad palm of his other hand on the table top beside the stacks of paper and many scrolls he'd brought to prove his research and validate his and the reinstated Hokage's point. "Trust me – I know the seal, been studying it since Minato sacrificed himself and sealed the Kyuubi away in the kid. That kid's no more the Kyuubi then Shibi over there is a kikaichu. In fact, killing or even harming that child right now, while the seal is still new, would probably release the Kyuubi."

The head of the Ambrume Clan tilted his head towards Jiraiya of the Sannin. "Indeed. Even now the kikai of my Hives can ascertain that the seal is converting the demon's lifeforce into mere chakra for the infant to use in the future."

"The simplest way to put it is the child's body and chakra is acting as a container, holding in the essence and power of the demon, to keep it locked away for as long as child lives, converting it to chakra and slowly siphoning away the demon's life and killing it. The seal will kill the demon and harming the kid now will stop the process and just set the creature loose on the world again," Jiraiya added, absently running a finger down the crimson mark on his cheek that resembled the streak left by a tear.

"Everyone is tired and mourning the loss of their loved ones…perhaps it'd be wiser to discuss this through when we all are of clearer mindsets," the female of the Sannin, the busty blonde medic-nin named Tsunade murmured softly, looking down into the portable bassinet to the sleeping child that held her finger tightly; oh how this child made her heart ache, looking so much like the baby pictures of her precious little brother, of her own now dead son... She looked up from looking into the bassinet, her hazel eyes weary as she studied the members of the Council. "But I can tell you this now…this child is no demon. If you'd like Hiashi-san to verify my diagnosis, then fine, but I've examined this child alongside Jiraiya and we both agree."

"Seals and medicine are not my specialty," the third Sannin, the Hebi-Sannin Orochimaru said with a false humility from his seat, leaning forward and interlocking his hands before his mouth, "but I will examine the child as well if it is requested."

Behind the Hebi-Sannin's calm façade, anger and hatred seethed; how dare they, these worthless insects deny him the post of Hokage? First with that upstart Namikaze Minato, then overlook him to reinstate that decrepit old fool?! How he longed to lash out, to kill them all, but he knew he had to wait, to gather strength and power until he could strike when victory would be assured. Orochimaru knew that waiting would be the most important part of his plan and decided to use the time well, to continue his research…after all, it's not like the homeless and criminal elements of the village would be missed…


	2. Chapter One: Unexpected Affections

**NARUTO: PRIDE & PREJUDICE**

**AUTHOR:** Zpan Sven

**E-MAIL: **Zpan(underscore)Sven(at)hotmail(dot)com

**DISCLAIMER:** I sadly do not own Naruto. The wonderful man whose name I can not pronounce does. I do own the few random OCs that do pop up though.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This is an AU of the Naruto-verse and my first ever Naruto fanfic, so if anyone who is well versed in the Naruto-verse and would like to Beta, I'd love it. I have only a few Original Characters that will pop up, mostly baddies from missing-nin, bandits, and asshole villagers. One OC is a 'good' character and I'll try to keep her from being a Mary Sue—which is the essence of all evil. Her main role is a teacher/big sibling/listener character, and if the readers like her enough, she might get a boyfriend from one of the shinobi she interacts with. The fic will mostly be 'General' but if the fans have some ideas for pairings, I'd love to hear them, as well as any suggestions for improving the story.

"Speech."

'_Thought.'_

_Flashback._

_**:Telepathy:**_

_.Sign Language.._

**SUMMARY:** It's the Naruto-verse with a twist, answering several questions of how things might have turned out if small things had been changed. Kyuubi was much younger then believed? Naruto was born female but forced to hide her true gender? How different would the adventure be? How powerful will the kunoichi become under the tutelage of the Queen of all Kistune? Will Naruto be forced to sacrifice her humanity for power?

**CHAPTER SUMMARY:** A month has passed since the defeat of Kyuubi, but the Kistune Queen's influence has far from diminished…nor has her will to live, especially not when she is beckoned by something she believed she'd not have at so young an age…her Kit...

**TIMELINE:** Prologue occurs during Kyuubi's attack and the rest of the story follows pre-manga until the second chapter, where it follows the manga.

**RATING:** PG-13/R

**WARNINGS:** LVS

**ARCHIVE:** Zpan Sven's Works

**JAPANESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY:**

Hai – yes

Iie – no

Sensei -- teacher

Sempai – upper-classman, someone in you ranking of an older age

Onna – woman, rude form of address

Hime – Princess

Gakki – brat

Temee – bastard

Miko –preistess

Kisama – bitch/bastard

Wakizashi – a smaller version of a katana, usually the backup weapon

Bo Shuriken – dagger-like shuriken

Kunai – the knife used by ninja

_Hira Shuriken_ – normal Star-shaped shuriken, ranging from three points to six or more

_Bo Shuriken_ – straight blade shuriken, similar to kunai only without hilts

Tekko – hand covers/wrist guards

Kyahan – shin guards

Tabi – split toe socks worn with the traditional sandals. Modern versions of _tabi_ have a hard rubber sole, making them into footwear on their own, generally favored by ninja.

Shinobi – another word for Ninja. Assassin.

Kunoichi – female ninja

Kistune -- fox

Hitai-ate – forehead protector wore by nin

Shinigami – God of Death

-

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**CHAPTER ONE: UNEXPECTED AFFECTIONS**

-

-

_Demon Brat._

The soft wails of the tiny month-old infant echoed in the small apartment, the pale form flailing it's tiny fists. Carelessly wrapped in an orange blanket was the small baby, curly wisps of blonde hair gleaming golden in the dull light of the makeshift nursery, three whisker-like marks on each smooth cheek. The tiny tee-shirt the infant wore had originally been white but now appeared dingy, while the child looked undernourished. Wiggling, the hemline of the tee-shirt rose as the baby writhed, crying loudly in need; a flicker of chakra caused the spiral-like seal around the infant's navel to temporarily appear, confirming in the mind of the nurse what she had to do.

With determined eyes, the woman lifted the pillow she clutched, ready to smoother the infant in the rickety wooden crib. Since its unholy birth a month ago she had been forced to watch after the demon brat but had slowly worked her way into the trust of the Sandaime, who had been placed back into power after the heroic sacrifice of the Yondaime, his successor. But now, now for all that had perished, she would put their souls to rest by giving them the vengeance they cried for…

-

-

-

Soil shifted as the buried figure stirred, the cries of a baby echoing through a tired, hazy mind. A kit…? The wails changed to fearful, almost stifled whimpers. Heart clenching in worry, a pale, clawed hand burst through the soil…

-

-

-

The nurse had just placed the pillow over the crying infant's face when the glass of the window across from the crib shattered, raining shards across the floor, crib, and nurse. The woman was caught off guard when a clawed hand suddenly gripped her chin, forcibly twisting her head up to look at the figure that stood across the crib from her. The dark malevolent form radiated killer intent and demonic crimson eyes glared right into the woman's soul.

"Foolish _onna_…" the figure growled. "Harm the kit of the Biju Kyuubi and you will be sent straight to hell!"

With a sharp, sudden jerk blood sprayed as the woman's head was brutally ripped from her body; the headless corpse fell to the floor, still clutching the pillow. Negligently the head was tossed aside as the dark form turned to look inside the crib. Blood had sprayed all over the baby's orange blanket and the dingy bedding. Clawed hands gently picked up the month-old baby, cradling the tiny form's still developing body close.

Wide, innocent blue eyes blinked up at the killer, baby cooing softly. A soft purring sound came from the dark form as it began to wrap the infant securely in the bloodstained blanket. Cradling the baby closer to it with a single arm, the killer began to pack a small ratty diaper bag with whatever baby needs caught it's crimson eye. With the bag packed to the killer's liking, it shouldered the bag and held the baby closed as it turned towards the light of the full moon; the silvery light washed over white skin and nine crimson tails before the killer vanished, wisps of smoke curling where they had been, using a version of the teleportation technique used by the ninja of the village.

-

-

-

The council was in an uproar; the demon vessel was gone and the vessel's nurse had been brutally murdered. Of course the blame of the murder was being placed solely on the month old vessel, much to the ire of the Sandaime and his supporters.

"The demon must be found and executed! Letting it live was a mistake that needs to be rectified immediately!" One council member declared loudly, overstepping his bounds once more; the council seemed to like forgetting they were only there to represent the needs of the civilian population and the clans that lived in the village, that they were not there to run the village Hidden in the Leaves.

"The _child_ has probably been kidnapped by an enemy," retorted the head of the Nara clan, giving strong emphasize the word 'child' to make his position as a supporter of the Sandaime clear. "What better weapon then training the vessel of a nine-tailed demon fox to destroy Konoha!"

It took the sheer willpower and a long lifetime of training to keep the Sandaime from flinging several kunai at the blind idiots who called for the destruction of Konoha's savior. The elderly ninja kept his voice clear and free of his homicidal intents as he spoke, his voice silencing the council; "Our best trackers discovered an unknown scent at the crime scene and are tracking it as we speak."

Several heads turned towards the old man called 'the Professor' by the shinobi nations; the old man smiled at them grimly as he spoke, "We shall see how well the kidnapper can escape the heads of our three strongest clans and our youngest ANBU."

"Let us hope your faith is not misplaced, Sandaime-sama," one of the older council members stated snidely.

Behind the Sandaime, a young scar-covered Chuunin frowned; it would not do for such open defiance against the will of the office of the Hokage, especially not from a member of the council. Perhaps it was time for them to remember that this was a Hidden Village and it was lead by the Kage, the military leader of the ninja forces within the village. For those that opposed the Sandaime's will would find themselves in a very uncomfortable position...Morino Ibiki would make certain of that.

-

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-

The soft whimper from the small bloodstained bundle and the rooting sensation alerted the killer to the child's need. Pausing, the killer leapt down from the massive trees and walked into a small clearing, moonlight washed over adult and infant. The silvery light caused the killer's white skin to appear luminous and dark fiery red hair and tails to gleam. Kneeling beside a small gurgling brook that ran through the clearing, the adult placed the baby gently on the soft grass, unwrapping and spreading out the bloodstained baby blanket. Shrugging the diaper bag off it's shoulder, the killer placed it beside the baby's head.

Nose crinkling in disgust at the smell emanating from the diaper, the adult decided a diaper change would be first one the list of things to take care of. Methodically removing the diaper, the killer growled, thinking perhaps that woman should have died much slower and much more painfully. Placing the used diaper in a small baggy – and how it knew how to do this, was far beyond the killer's understanding – the adult of the pair went back to changing the diaper. The clawed fingers were awkward with the tiny adhesive tabs, but steadfast determination allowed for it to change the baby's diaper.

Making a soft purring sound of triumph, the killer scooped the child up carefully, cuddling the baby close to it's chest. Once more the infant began to root, pushing open the folds of the black yukata the killer wore to expose a white mound of flesh to the moonlight. Sighing, the adult stood and began searching the clearing for a special family of herbs that would help tend to this particular need of the baby...

-

-

-

Four figures moved fast through the tree branches, each different but strong in their own ways.

"I smell the child," the only kunoichi of the group, a powerful, feral looking woman growled, the team that followed her using her green Jounin vest as a homing beacon. "I smell the nurse's blood...and Kistune."

"Kistune? Inuzuka-san are you certain?" inquired one of the males of the team, his long ebon hair flowing free behind him; his pale lavender pearl-like eyes seemed to transform, the veins around his eye sockets bulging visibly.

"Hai, Hyuuga-san. After the Kyuubi, it is a scent I'll never forget. Kami-sama help us, but the scent is almost identical..."

"Could it be another demonic kistune, after the container of Kyuubi?" The ANBU of the team pondered, his dog-mask glinting in the moonlight.

"Not another one. Kuromaru and the pack aren't up for another battle," Inuzuka Tsume whispered with a shudder; she'd only recently assumed head of her clan with the deaths of her father and elder brother against Kyuubi. There was no way her family, her wolf companion, were ready for another battle, not with how close she'd come to loosing them all...

"I don't think and of the village are up to it," the previously silent member of the group stated. "My Kikai taste the kistune's chakra – as Inuzuka-san said, it is almost identical to Kyuubi's own. But it is not the Kyuubi-chakra contained in the vessel."

"Eh? I smell milk…" the feral kunoichi muttered, sniffing again in disbelief.

"The container is only a month old," Hyuuga Hiashi reminded her. "But it is curious – where did the kidnapper find the milk? The refrigerator in the apartment hadn't been touched."

The Hyuuga's unique vision alerted him to the clearing coming up and to it's inhabitants.

"We have them," Hiashi murmured, halting. The three others landed on the tree branch beside the acting team leader. "Spread out into containment formation; Ambrume-san, contact the Sandaime."

"Hai!"

In a flash of pure speed, Inuzuka Tsume, Hyuuga Haishi, and the young ANBU tracker called Hound moved to circle the child and kidnapper. Kneeling, Aburame Shibi reached for his vest's scroll pouch. With a quick nip on his thumb for the necessary blood and several swift handseals later send back word to the Sandaime...


	3. Chapter Two: Unexpected Alliance

**NARUTO: PRIDE & PREJUDICE**

**AUTHOR:** Zpan Sven

**E-MAIL: **Zpan(underscore)Sven(at)hotmail(dot)com

**DISCLAIMER:** I sadly do not own Naruto. The wonderful man whose name I can not pronounce does. I do own the few random OCs that do pop up though.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This is an AU of the Naruto-verse and my first ever Naruto fanfic, so if anyone who is well versed in the Naruto-verse and would like to Beta, I'd love it. I have only a few Original Characters that will pop up, mostly baddies from missing-nin, bandits, and asshole villagers. One OC is a 'good' character and I'll try to keep her from being a Mary Sue—which is the essence of all evil. Her main role is a teacher/big sibling/listener character, and if the readers like her enough, she might get a boyfriend from one of the shinobi she interacts with. The fic will mostly be 'General' but if the fans have some ideas for pairings, I'd love to hear them, as well as any suggestions for improving the story.

"Speech."

'_Thought.'_

_Flashback._

_**:Telepathy:**_

_.Sign Language.._

**SUMMARY:** It's the Naruto-verse with a twist, answering several questions of how things might have turned out if small things had been changed. Kyuubi was much younger then believed? Naruto was born female but forced to hide her true gender? How different would the adventure be? How powerful will the kunoichi become under the tutelage of the Queen of all Kistune? Will Naruto be forced to sacrifice her humanity for power?

**CHAPTER SUMMARY:** The confrontation between mortal and demon begins. Can the Sandaime and kidnapper come to some form of truce, or will the destruction begin again?

**TIMELINE:** Prologue occurs during Kyuubi's attack and the rest of the story follows pre-manga until a few chapters in, where it follows the manga.

**RATING:** PG-13/R

**WARNINGS:** LVS

**ARCHIVE:** Zpan Sven's Works

**JAPANESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY:**

Hai – yes

Iie – no

Sensei -- teacher

Sempai – upper-classman, someone in you ranking of an older age

Onna – woman, rude form of address

Hime – Princess

Gakki – brat

Temee – bastard

Hebi -- snake

Miko –preistess

Kisama – bitch/bastard

Wakizashi – a smaller version of a katana, usually the backup weapon

Bo Shuriken – dagger-like shuriken

Kunai – the knife used by ninja

Hira Shuriken – normal Star-shaped shuriken, ranging from three points to six or more

Bo Shuriken – straight blade shuriken, similar to kunai only without hilts

Tekko – hand covers/wrist guards

Kyahan – shin guards

Tabi – split toe socks worn with the traditional sandals. Modern versions of _tabi_ have a hard rubber sole, making them into footwear on their own, generally favored by some ninja.

Shinobi – another word for Ninja. Assassin.

Kunoichi – female ninja

Kistune -- fox

Hitai-ate – forehead protector wore by nin

Shinigami – God of Death

-

**CHAPTER TWO: UNEXPECTED ALLIANCE**

-

-

To the surprise of the four-man team, the Sandaime arrived in person. His white robes swirled around his legs as he walked towards the four-man team; behind him, a squad of ANBU followed the Hokage silently, their black cloaks billowing around them. The Hyuuga, leader of the team, stepped forward and bowed to the elderly nin.

"Sandaime-sama, we have confirmed the abductor is Kistune in origin; Aburame-san's Kikai bugs have established a secure perimeter," the pearly-eyed man reported.

"Excellent work, Hiashi-san," the elder nin acknowledged as he strode forward, moving silently through the brush with the unconscious ease of a nin of his caliber; with a hand gesture he caused his ANBU guards to pause.

The Sandaime stepped into the small clearing that had been surrounded by his loyal leaf-nin, illuminated by the full moon. Before him, sitting calmly on a fallen log was a woman with lily-white skin in a tattered black yukuta with the front gaping open; cradled in her arms was a bloodstained bundle nursing hungrily at the exposed white breast. Hair the color of dried blood fell around her white shoulders in tangles; dried twigs and leaves were visible sticking out of her hair like exotic adornments. Crimson-black whisker marks were visible on the woman's white cheeks, matching the marks on the cheeks of the baby she held in her arms.

For a moment, the posture and tenderness of the scene before him caused nostalgia to wash over the old leaf-nin, the memory of his wife as a young woman cradling their son in her arms in the nursery superimposing over the woman and child before him. Mentally he cleared the image away – this was not the time to lose himself in his happiest of memories, not when this Kistune wearing the body of a woman was holding the savior of his village hostage.

Sandaime stepped forward and she turned her head, glaring at him with crimson vulpine eyes.

Kyuubi's eyes.

White nostrils flared, taking in the elder nin's scent, her eyes on the hat he wore with its emblem denoting his rank among his village.

"Leaf-nin," the rich voice said the word full of disgust. "What more of me do you want?"

"Why did you attack Konoha, she-demon?" the Sandaime demanded.

"Why? _Why?_ You dare ask me **why** when your coward of a Yondaime Hokage **summoned **me through blood sacrifice, then try to enslave me and the _hebi-temee_ dares not to face me himself when I escape his bindings?" The demonic woman hissed, her eyes glowing.

The Sandaime reeled at the Kistune woman's accusations. "Bringing you here was not the doing of Konoha! Our Yondiame is dead from the effort to defeat you, as are some of our best nin!"

"I certainly didn't see that _hebi-temee_ anywhere on that battlefield, Mortal," the crimson-eyed woman snorted in disgust. "I'd know that dark-haired piece of filth anywhere."

"Our Yondaime was blond, like the child you hold," the out-of-retirement Hokage sighed, gesturing to the month-old infant that was suckling hungrily at the woman's breast. "He was the one on Gamabunta's head and sealed you – or tried to at least."

"Then it appears that you have a delusional imposter running about – or a potential usurper," she informed him, her posture and voice calmer but weary. "And if he's insane enough to use blood rites and meddle with the affairs of Inari then no one – mortal, demon or divine – is safe."

The elderly nin's posture stiffened as he questioned the she-demon. "Then I must ask this of you – what, in exact detail, does the man that summoned you look like?"

"He is tall and slender, with golden snake-like eyes and long black hair. He wore purple makeup around his eyes and everything about him screamed 'snake', from his eyes, scent, and voice – when he spoke it reminded me of speaking with any of the larger members of the snake-clan. Perhaps this will help you most – he is a shinobi, wearing the mark of your village and knew of several forbidden justu and blood rites, one that summoned me, the Inari-appointed Queen of Kistune, and sent me in the berserker rage you saw. No mere _genjustu_ woven by a simple human can do that, not to a demon of my caliber and certainly not to the ninth Biju – only a kinjustu that involved blood rites, with not just animal but **human** sacrifices as well."

The Sandaime could feel the weight of his years pressing down on him as his swift mind made the proper connections to deduce the shinobi's identity: Orchimaru, his own prized genius student, whom had betrayed Konoha and become a missing-nin.

"I know of whom you speak, but mere words alone will not be enough to sate the village," Sandaime sighed. "You will need undisputable proof to back up your claims – in the eyes of the village you are a demon who attacked their home with no just cause and have been sealed away in the infant you hold."

"Hmph. Your Yondaime was a seal master, I suppose, but it takes more then a deal with the Shinigami to fully seal away the ninth Biju's power," the she-demon informed him.

"Fully? Then the seal did work?"

"Only partially – inside the kit is almost two-thirds of my power – but don't assume for a minute because of that I am weak, in fact we could probably go toe to toe right now," she snorted. "My power will regenerate but only when the kit has fully absorbed my sealed powers will I be at full strength once more."

"If what happened is the truth, then I have no wish to fight you if you are non-hostile," he stated.

Lightly she stroked the nursing child's whiskered cheek with her clawed forefinger. "Your Yondaime's seal has had an unintended side affect."

"What do you mean?" the old nin asked warily.

"Due to my demonic life force, my youkai, entering such a young form that doesn't have a fully develop inner coil system a…change…has been wrought so the kit will be able to survive and use such a destructive energy."

The Sandaime looked at the she-demon waiting for her to continue.

"A human cannot use youkai. It's too different from chakra. As a result, the kit will have the use of two different forms of energy…but to compensate…" She took a deep breath. "The kit is hanyou now, half human, half demon. My own genetic code has been partially imprinted on the kit's own."

"I…I see…" Sandaime murmured shakily.

She leveled a glare at him, one full of possessiveness. "And I don't give a damn who the kit's sire or dame is! This is **my** kit now!"

Sandaime reared back in surprise at the she-demon's tone and glare – then again, he shouldn't have been surprised; she-demons were considered to be the most possessive and protective of mothers to exist and would kill any who threatened their offspring, even their own mates. Coming between a she-demon and her offspring was a suicidal maneuver and if he made any move to separate the kistune before him from the baby she held, not only would he die, but she'd probably take out her rage on the rebuilding village as well.

Such protectiveness….it was a great strength and a great weakness.

If what the she-demon said was true, then the child was no longer fully human. What would the young Uzumaki go through with that sort of heritage? The only hanyou he had ever heard of were legends, myths….and most didn't have pleasant lives, generally reject by both humans and demons. But this she-demon, the Kyuubi no Kistune, Queen of the Kistune and from what he could gather the ninth Biju and Chosen of Inari…she would fight to the death to keep the child safe…to raise the orphaned baby…

The she-demon before him cradled 'her' baby protectively, cautiously shifting the hungry infant from one white breast to the other. For Kyuubi, who was still so young in the eyes of her own kind, everything she did concerning 'her' kit was dictated by ancient, primal instinct. The fact so much of her youkai had been sealed away and was being absorbed by the hanyou child made her wonder…

…would in the eyes of the demon world would the kit be labeled 'prodigy'? The fact the hanyou child had almost seven tails worth of power would almost guarantee it. For Kyuubi, whom herself had been _born_ with three tails, the expectations placed on her had been high and the pressure she'd been under had forged her into a formidable warrior and a true Champion of Inari all before she had experienced her first true Heat.

"Kyuubi no Kistune," the Sandaime's voice was strong but also reflected his great age and the wisdom he was renown for. "As you claim to be under the control of another for the duration of your physical body's assault of Konoha -- and with no proof to confirm nor deny such claims -- I decree your punishment the guardianship of Uzumaki Naru, the child you hold in your arms, as well as repayment for the damages wrought."

The kistune's crimson eyebrows rose at the old nin's 'decree'. "You are aware that as Queen of Kistune, I am fully aware of most of the locations of my predecessor's hordes…"

"Which would be most useful in the cost of the materials needed to rebuild our village, but for a Hidden Village such as ours, our most valuble assest lost against you was our nin."

"So you want **me** to become one of your ninja? And just how well will _that_ go with your people?" Inquired the she-demon, her brows still raised as she tilted her head to the side quizzically, resembling a curious fox.

"I think you would make an excellent Jounin…Uzumaki Kyuu."

-

-

-

Inuzuka Tsume was anxious; in the aftermath of the demon attack, she didn't like leaving her two children for long, not with Kiba not yet fully weaned and Hana only five… The kunoichi eyed her teammates, searching them for a similar nervousness – Hyuuga's wife was due soon and with her being high-risk and the history of twins running in the clan along with it being her first pregnancy, she could deliver early; Aburame also had a son that was just coming out of diapers and she knew that his close-knit 'hive' would watch after the child if something went down…

The Hyuuga's Clan Head suddenly turned his head towards the clearing he previously had been 'ignoring'. Walking towards them was the Sandaime and a woman in a shredded black yukuta carrying a bloodstained bundle in her arms. The bundle shifted suddenly as a tiny hand rose from the stained cloth, reaching for the woman whom held it.

Aburame was glad for the high collar of his jacket hiding his sudden nose bleed and his sunglasses hiding the almost comical widening of his eyes. The Hyuuga's hand lifted, brushing his long hair from his face; this motion was a cover to keep his own nose bleed from view – those of the Hyuuga clan were above nosebleeds…but dammit, the Clan Head sincerely wished his wife wasn't high risk, he wanted some nookie and hated being deprived! For Hound, the youngest ANBU, the woman before him was like something from his beloved novel series.

She was not overly tall or petite, more on the taller side of average, but she had the sort of curves that couldn't be concealed, even by bulky formal clothing. Hair the color of dried blood was falling loose from what had been at one time been a formal coiffure, the tangled strands cascading around her white shoulders, bared by the mostly destroyed yukuta she wore; Hound imagined that if not for the leaves and twigs in her hair she could have appeared to be the heroine in one of his novels whom had just been very thoroughly ravaged. '_Of course_,' his dirty mind supplied, '_that could be explained away by the ravaging taking place in a forest glade_.'

Tsume shot the suddenly giggly ANBU a baffled look, wondering faintly if the young man had already snapped. Of course the other males were suddenly shifting uncomfortably… Taking a discrete sniff of the air, she could take in the scent of the woman before her, picking up the natural pheromones the woman gave off. In fact, the feral kunoichi speculated, the woman probably wasn't even aware of what she was doing to the males with how focused she was on the baby in her arms.

It didn't take a genius for them to figure out the woman was the kistune they had been tracking – that scent was very clearly predominate along with her natural pheromones. But…she didn't seem hostile aside from killing that nurse. There was something going on…

The Inuzuka Clan Head resolved to speak with the woman after all this was cleared up so the kistune woman before her would be fully aware of what her pheromones were doing and hopefully they could figure out a way to suppress them…or at least, suppress the effects the males exposed to her pheromones underwent – poor Hound and a couple of the other ANBU seemed ready to pounce on her…but not the married men. It seemed the bonds made by them to their respective wives allowed them to feel only the milder effects of her pheromones.

Mmm. Ah well, the talk with the kistune woman would be much needed practice for when young Hana came of age, the feral kunoichi concluded wryly.


	4. Chapter Three: United We Stand

**NARUTO: PRIDE & PREJUDICE**

**AUTHOR:** Zpan Sven

**E-MAIL: **Zpan(underscore)Sven(at)hotmail(dot)com

**DISCLAIMER:** I sadly do not own Naruto. The wonderful man whose name I can not pronounce does. I do own the few random OCs that do pop up though.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This is an AU of the Naruto-verse and my first ever Naruto fanfic, so if anyone who is well versed in the Naruto-verse and would like to Beta, I'd love it. I have only a few Original Characters that will pop up, mostly baddies from missing-nin, bandits, and asshole villagers. One OC is a 'good' character and I'll try to keep her from being a Mary Sue—which is the essence of all evil. Her main role is a teacher/big sibling/listener character, and if the readers like her enough, she might get a boyfriend from one of the shinobi she interacts with. The fic will mostly be 'General' but if the fans have some ideas for pairings, I'd love to hear them, as well as any suggestions for improving the story. As the name of Konohamaru's parents have never been revealed, I'm just going to give them names for now; if anyone else out there knows the names/appearances, please PM me, okay?

"Speech."

'_Thought.'_

_Flashback._

_**::Telepathy::**_

_.Sign Language.._

**SUMMARY:** It's the Naruto-verse with a twist, answering several questions of how things might have turned out if small things had been changed. Kyuubi was much younger then believed? Naruto was born female but forced to hide her true gender? How different would the adventure be? How powerful will the kunoichi become under the tutelage of the Queen of all Kistune? Will Naruto be forced to sacrifice her humanity for power?

**CHAPTER SUMMARY:** The Sandaime and Kyuubi have joined forces in order to keep Naruto and the village safe. Now they must work together against the council to secure 'Uzumaki Kyuu' as a Jounin among the ranks of Konoha's ninja and as the undisputed mother of the vessel.

**TIMELINE:** Prologue occurs during Kyuubi's attack and the rest of the story follows pre-manga until a few chapters in, where it follows the manga.

**RATING:** PG-13/R

**WARNINGS:** LVS

**ARCHIVE:** Zpan Sven's Works

**JAPANESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY:**

Hai – yes

Iie – no

Sensei -- teacher

Sempai – upper-classman, someone in your ranking of an older age

Onna – woman, rude form of address

Hime – Princess

Gakki – brat

Temee – bastard

Hebi -- snake

Miko – priestess

Kisama – bitch/bastard

Wakizashi – a smaller version of a katana, usually the backup weapon

Bo Shuriken – dagger-like shuriken

Kunai – the knife used by ninja

Hira Shuriken – normal Star-shaped shuriken, ranging from three points to six or more

Bo Shuriken – straight blade shuriken, similar to kunai only without hilts

Tekko – hand covers/wrist guards

Kyahan – shin guards

Tabi – split toe socks worn with the traditional sandals. Modern versions of _tabi_ have a hard rubber sole, making them into footwear on their own, generally favored by ninja.

Shinobi – another word for Ninja. Assassin.

Kunoichi – female ninja

Kistune -- fox

Hitai-ate – forehead protector wore by nin

Shinigami – God of Death

-

**CHAPTER THREE: UNITED WE STAND**

-

The Sandaime's return to Konoha was done with little fanfare; the elderly nin wanted to use the time it would take for the Council to reconvene to get the newest Jounin of Konoha cleaned up and get the paperwork to register the Kistune woman as a Konoha citizen started. He took the woman and child to his personal residence, where his worried wife waited for his return. The regal, white-haired woman was pulled aside by her husband, who wrapped a comforting arm around her still trim waist as he explained the situation to her.

The retired Jounin looked over at the Kistune while her husband finished his hurried explanation. With a sigh, she looked up at her beloved husband, her sharp mind working on ways to help him. "I'm certain I have a yukuta or kimono that will fit her and there are plenty of Asuma and Kiyko's baby clothes up in the attic."

"Thank you, love," the grateful old nin murmured with a soft kiss to his petite wife.

The Kistune held her kit closely as she investigated the Sandaime's 'den'. A peek through one of the partially opened sliding doors revealed the large house's den and its dozing occupant; a tiny female child was curled up on a floor cushion, with a tea set of now cold tea resting on the low table. Silently the crimson-haired woman withdrew, letting the child continue to sleep in peace. Carefully she held the sleeping infant in her arms as she turned to face the wife of the Sandaime Hokage.

The old woman eyed the youthful looking young woman standing before her; as a retired Jounin, the old woman knew how deceptive appearances could be and her instincts were telling her this 'woman' was dangerous – but only if provoked and the old woman had no intentions of provoking her. After all, they both had something very important in common – they were mothers and mothers protected their offspring no matter the cost. As though understanding that she had found an ally, the Kistune woman gave the eldery human woman a grateful smile.

"I thank you," the kistune woman murmured softly so not to wake the baby, inclining her head respectfully towards her 'hostess' whom held the folded clothes she'd had stored away in her wrinkled hands.

"You…are welcome, Uzumaki-san," the elderly woman replied, watching the involuntary twitch the crimson-haired woman developed at the new form of address that she would have to swiftly acclimate herself to. "Please, come with me. There is no time for a proper bath, but we can get you cleaned up a bit while the council members scurry about."

With genuine gratitude and respect, the kistune woman followed the human woman; the small furo she was led to more then suited their needs and she was relieved that the old woman was more then happy to give the golden-haired infant a sponge bath while she handled her own grooming; despite her status as Queen of Kistune, she never grew comfortable with the idea of bath attendants and people helping her dress when she was in her 'human' or hybrid forms. With the elderly woman's aid in tending to the infant's needs, they were both deemed presentable to appear before the Council in their borrowed garments…

-

-

-

The Council shifted and stumbled into the poorly lit meeting room, several still mostly asleep. They had adjourned after being reassured that the matter of tracking the missing vessel was taken care of; honestly many assumed to hear of the child's death in the morning, not to be reconvened mere hours after leaving for their warm beds. The council room was suddenly flooded with light as the Hokage entered, a red-haired woman following him cradling the month-old vessel the tiny form wrapped a pale peach and blue blanket; her white and green kimono was neatly pressed, the white obi trailing behind her.

The Sandaime Hokage's yes were expressionless as he scanned the expressions of the members of the Council; several of the clan heads, along with his former teammates and rival, were visibly less then pleased to see the tiny infant still lived. His posture was stiff as he waited for their murmurs to go silent.

"Earlier, when we convened before, it was believed that a hostile force from outside Konoha had taken the Uzumaki baby. We have been proven to be wrong. The only hostile force was an internal one, the Nurse charged with the child's welfare, Kuno Akane, whom tried to assassinate the infant by suffocation with a pillow. She was killed by Uzumaki Kyuu, whom was presumed dead in the battle to protect Konoha one month ago," the elderly nin informed them, inclining his head to the red-haired woman beside him; in the room's light, the whisker-like marks on her cheeks were stark against her pale skin and her eyes hidden away by a pair of sunglasses.

As the Sandaime had expected, there was outrage from the child's adversaries; demands were made for an inquest concerning Nurse Kuno's death and charges to be bought up against the child's mother. Beside the Hokage, the afore mentioned mother felt a crimson brow beginning to twitch as she fought to repress her annoyance at the humans before her; if not for the honor-pact between herself and the elderly nin, she'd kill the idiots before her that dared look at her kit with such contempt.

"That woman tried to kill my kit. And for that, she died," the red-haired 'Kunoichi' snarled, killer intent leaking despite her tight reign on her temper. "I had just woken from a healing trance and had dragged myself back into this village I had fallen protecting to find that woman trying to smother my kit. Not knowing if assassins lingered incase she failed, I took my kit, heading for safety until I could contact Sandaime-sama. He met me before I had gotten far, worried that it had been hostile forces from outside Konoha at work; he had believed me to have been dead this entire time."

"And did Sandaime-sama tell you what had occurred after your apparent demise?" asked one of the clan heads, identified as Uchiha Fugaku from his pale complexion, spiky black hair and the crimson and white fan-emblem visible on his dark blue haori; his face and voice was bland and often the Sandaime wondered just where he stood in support of the Uzumaki child.

"Yes, actually," the crimson-haired 'Kunoichi' replied, her full lips seeming to curve smugly, defiantly. "My kit is the Yondaime's legacy, a hero!"


End file.
